Obama Urges Young People to Sign Up for Obamacare

Aude Guerrucci-Pool/Getty Images (WASHINGTON) -- President Obama is enlisting young people to help sell the Affordable Care Act to the demographic critical to the success of his signature law. “This law is already making a difference for millions of young people, and it’s about to help millions more,” he said at a White House youth summit.

“I'm going to need you all to spread the word about how the Affordable Care Act really works, what its benefits are, what its protections are and, most importantly, how people can sign up.”

Youth leaders from around the country were invited to the White House to help get the word out to young Americans about how to enroll. No group is more important to the economics of Obamacare. Getting young, healthy people to enroll is key to offsetting the health care costs of older Americans.

“I do remember what it's like being 27 or 28, and aside from the occasional basketball injury, most of the time I kind of felt like I had nothing to worry about,” Obama said. “Of course, that's what most people think until they have something to worry about.”

Relating to the rowdy young people in the audience, who snapped pictures on their phones throughout the event, the president said they should be able to get health insurance for less than their monthly cell phone bill.

“I am not allowed, for security reasons, to have an iPhone,” said Obama, who uses a BlackBerry and is often spotted on his iPad. “I don’t know what your bills are. I have noticed that Sasha and Malia seem to spend a lot of time on it. My suspicion is that for a lot of you, between your cable bill, your phone bill, you're spending more than 100 bucks a month.”

“The idea that you wouldn’t want to make sure that you've got the health security and financial security that comes with health insurance for less than that price, you guys are smarter than that. And most young people are, as well,” he said.

With the clock ticking toward the March 31st deadline to enroll, the president is hoping to encourage young people to sign up for insurance now.

“I'm here, because I need your help; that’s why you're here, because you know I need your help,” he said.